Source: UN News Centre
New York, 30 Jul 2007 - The United Nations General Assembly tomorrow opens its first-ever plenary session devoted exclusively to climate change, seeking to translate thegrowing scientific consensus on the problem into a broad political consensus foraction following alarming UN reports earlier this year on its potentiallydevastating effects.
The two-day meeting features interactive panel discussions with climate changeexperts, a plenary debate with statements on national strategies andinternational commitments by Member States, as well as addresses by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and two of his Special Envoys on climate change,former Chilean President Ricardo Lagos and former Korean Foreign Minister HanSeung-soo.
“This debate is a testimony to the political importance of addressing climate change,” General Assembly President Sheikha Haya Rashed Al Khalifa said. “Wewill need political action if we are to protect our environment, secure ourplanet and safeguard our future, for our children and generations to come. Thisis one of the greatest challenges of our time.”
The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reported this year that the world’s temperature warmed by .74°C during the lastcentury and that it is likely to rise 3°C in this century unless measures aretaken to reduce the rate of warming. The IPCC found that the evidence thatwarming was occurring is unequivocal and that it is due to human activities.
The debate, featuring prominent scientists, business leaders and UN officials, is expected to raise awareness and momentum for action in preparation for theSecretary-General’s High Level Event on climate change in September.
The debate is being billed as “carbon neutral” since emissions from air travel to bring experts to New York and the entire carbon-dioxide emissions of the UNHeadquarters are being off-set by investment in a biomass fuel project in Kenya,Sheikha Haya said.
The fuel switch project in Kenya supports the use of agricultural waste instead of traditional fossil fuels to power a crude palm oil refinery, thereby reducinggreenhouse gas emissions and creating new economic opportunities for localfarmers.
Mr. Ban has made urgent international action to curb climate change a hallmark of his office since he became UN Secretary-General in January. Just last Fridayhe warned that failure to act would have grave consequences for all countries.
